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FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS

Fire suppression systems employ dry chemicals, wet chemicals, foam or gaseous agents to suppress/extinguish a fire. They can be operated automatically or manually. Fire extinguishers are one mode of delivery of these fire suppression agents.

Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are designed for use on small fires and not out-of-control ones. These devices contain a fire-fighting agent that is discharged to extinguish a fire. They come in portable, ceiling mounted and trolley formats and find wide application in industrial, commercial, vehicular, and residential settings.

GE-Ctrls has partnered with reputed vendors such as Fire Lite ,Omex , SafetyFirst, Safety World, etc. to offer a wide range of modern and reliable fire extinguisher systems that are subjected to multiple levels of checks.

Types of Fire Extinguishers:

Water Fire Extinguishers

Water extinguishers are the cheapest and most widely used fire extinguishers. Not only do they extinguish fire by smothering – i.e., cutting off the supply of atmospheric oxygen to the burning surface – but also by cooling the surface.

Are most effective against Class A fires involving solid objects such as wood where the fire remains hidden deep within and re-ignites when temperatures rise. However, they must never be used on electrical fire as the water will conduct electricity which could prove fatal to the operator (CO2 extinguishers can better handle electrical fires).

Foam Fire Extinguishers

Foam fire extinguishers (or Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)) are more expensive than water extinguishers but are more versatile. They extinguish fire by smothering – i.e., cutting off the supply of atmospheric oxygen to the burning surface. Suitable for Class A and B fires but not recommended for electrical fires (CO2 extinguishers can better handle electrical fires).

Ideal for use in:

Refineries

Flammable liquid storage

LNG storage/manufacturing

Warehouses and loading racks

Processing areas

Aircraft hangars

Marine applications

Features and Benefits

Foam smothers the flames and prevents it from spreading or re-igniting

Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers

Dry powder fire extinguishers are highly versatile, multi-purpose fire extinguishers as they are effective on all classes of fires -- A, B, C and electrical fires. They work due to the chemical reaction between the fire and dry powder agents that cause the powder particles to expand and extinguishing the fire by smothering – i.e., cutting off the supply of atmospheric oxygen to the burning surface.

However, dry powder extinguishers are ill suited to enclosed spaces (offices, hotels, schools, etc.) as the clouds of fire-fighting agent can obscure vision and induce breathing problems. Corrosive effects from the residue left behind by the agents can also damage sensitive electrical/electronic equipment. (CO2extinguishers can better handle electrical fires).

A wide choice of agents (e.g., potassium bicarbonate-based, sodium bicarbonate-based, graphite-based, etc.) are available to meet specific protection requirements and it is important that the correct agent is chosen for a specific scenario as an incorrect agent could allow the fire to re-ignite. Specialist fire extinguishers also exist that use special types of dry powder for Class D fires (combustible metal fires) and other specialist applications such as lithium fires.

Cartridge-operated Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers

Cartridge-operated dry powder fire extinguishers are similar in their multi-purpose uses to regular stored-pressure dry powder extinguishers and, like them, extinguishing the fire by chemical reaction induced smothering of the fire. However, they are different from stored-pressure extinguishers in that while the extinguishing agent is stored in the non-pressurized cylinder, the propellant is stored in a separate cartridge located on the outer surface of the device.

They are especially preferred in the construction and heavy equipment industries for the following reasons:

Suitable for rugged use

Simple activation design reduces failure probability

On-the-spot recharge possible

Increased safety as cartridges are never under pressure (required pressure is created on the spot when needed)

Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers

Wet chemical fire extinguishers are specifically designed for use on Class F fires involving cooking oils and fats. A distinguishing feature is that the extinguishing agent is expelled in a highly effective spray but in a gentle manner which helps prevent splashing of the hot oil/fat. The wet chemical does three things:

Extinguish the flames

Cool the burning oil

React chemically to form a soap-like non-combustible solution that seals the surface and prevents re-ignition.

They are thus ideal for use in places such:

Restaurants and kitchens

Factories and warehouses

Most Effective on: Class F fires. Also suitable for Class A and B fires.

Clean Agent (Gaseous) Fire Extinguishers

When it is important to minimize post-fire collateral damage in areas housing sensitive electronic equipment, delicate machinery, and other irreplaceable assets, using water, foam or dry chemicals as extinguishing agents is not an ideal solution. Instead, a clean agent fire suppression system which discharges a gaseous agent is the better option.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Fire Extinguishers

CO2 is an easily available and hence inexpensive firefighting agent. As a clean agent, CO2 has all the benefits of clean agent fire protection system and is hence an ideal solution for server rooms, IT equipment rooms, biological laboratories, food storage/processing areas, etc. CO2 fire suppression systems take advantage of the extremely dense nature of CO2 gas which causes it to settle below oxygen-rich atmospheric air thereby forming a blanket layer that effectively cuts off oxygen supply and suffocates and extinguishes the fire.

They are safe to use on electrical fires and are also recommended Class B and C fires. However, they must not be used on Class D fires as the CO2 gas could react with some volatile metals.

Ideal for use in:

Server rooms, data centers, IT equipment rooms

Automotive

Marine systems

Electronics production

Biological laboratories

Food storage/processing areas

Power generation

Cement plant/blast furnaces

Features and Benefits

Fast acting - CO2 spreads across the entire hazard areas in seconds

Environment friendly - CO2 is a clean agent that has no environmental impact

Water Mist Fire Extinguishers

They are an alternative to the clean agent fire extinguishers where contamination is a concern. These devices break water down into micro molecules that not only help increase the coverage area (by a factor of several hundred) in the fire zone but also the water droplets are so fine and dispersed that they lose conductivity making it safe for use even on electrical fires among others.

Water mist extinguishers are primarily for Class A fires, although they are safe for use on Class C fires as well.

Find out which Fire Extinguisher Device is the best solution for your safety needs by contacting us today. Our team will work closely with you to analyze your needs and develop a customized stand-alone or integrated solution.